Wrench.



J. T. KETCHERSIDE..

WRENCH.-

APPLICATION FILED 050.20. 1911.

1,260,91. Patented Mar. 26,1918.

J06 ZIeidersz'ae.

INVENTOH WITNESSES ATTORNEY 55 ing-broken away.. I

JOHN T. KETCHEB SIDE, F CAN'I'WELL, MISSOURI.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

Application filed December 20, 1917. Serial No. 208,127.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. KETCHER- SIDE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cantwell, in the county of Saint Francois and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a wrench and has for its principal object the production of a simple and efficient means for moving the movable jaw to an adjusted position andthen holding the same against accidental shifting when in use.

Another object of this invention is the production of a wrench wherein a movable jaw may be operated from the handle, thus allowing the wrench to be used in places where true access to the movable jaw when in operation would be difiicult, whereby the tension upon the movable jaw may be maintained uniformly at all times when the wrench is in use.

Another object of this invention is the production of a wrench wherein a ratchet housing is carried adjacent the handle thus allowing the tension on the movable jaw to be maintained when the structure is in use, although when it is desired to release the movable jaw from its clamping action, the ratchet housing may be shifted for. freeing the pawl from engagement and then the operating handle may be used to impart motion to the various connections to the movable jaw.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangementof parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

One practical form of construction and assembly will be hereinafter described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- 4 Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wrench as constructed in accordance with the present, invention.

. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through a portion of thewrench, portions of the device being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through a portion of thedevice, illustrating in elevation the construction of the interior of the ratchet housing.

4 is a sectional view through the ratchet housing portions of the structure be:

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the ratchet housing.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, it will be seen that the wrench comprises 'a main jaw having the usual gripping portion 11 and the longitudinally extending bore 12. This main jaw 10 is also provided with a pocket 18 for purposes to be hereinafter set forth.

The movable jaw 14 is provided with a gripping portion 15 and includes the shank 16 having a rack 17. The shank 16 is passed through the bore 12 of the main jaw 10, as will be seen by referring to Fig. 2, while the worm nut 18 is positioned within the socket 13 and engages the rack 17 of shank 16 whereby when this worm nut 18 is turned, it is obvious the movable jaw 1% may be shifted toward or away'from the main jaw, according to the manner in which the worm nut is rotated.

The hollow sleeve 19 is screwed into en gagement with one end of the main jaw 10 as illustrated 'at 20 thus securing these two elements together. The shaft 21 projects through the sleeve 19 and has fixed upon its end portion which projects into the main jaw 10, the worm nut 18. It is therefore obvious that when rotary motion is imparted to the shaft 21 it will turn the worm nut 18. In order to impart this motion to the shaft 21, a handle or grip portion 22 is fixed to the outer end of the shaft 21 and therefore when the handle or grip portion 22 is turned, it is obvious the worm nut 18 will be turned. This turning of the worm nut will cause the movable jaw to be shifted in one direction or the other, according to the manner in which the handle or grip portion 22 is turned.

In order to maintain the tension upon the movable jaw when the same has been moved into gripping engagement in connection with some supporting object and in cooperation with the gripping portion 11 of the main jaw 10,.a ratchet housing 23 is positioned upon the outer end of the sleeve 19. This ratchet housing 23 is substantially cylindrical and has a secondary bottom portion 24 formed internally therein, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. This ratchet housing 23 is provided with a plurality of alined slots 25 communicating with the central bore 26 formed therein. It will be noted that the sleeve 19 projects into the bore 26, while theretaining pin 27 extends through the slots 25 and is secured within the outer end of the sleeve 19 in any suitable manner.

It will therefore be seen that the ratchet housing 23 is free to be moved outwardly as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, although the pin 27 will limit this outward movement. The housing may be moved inwardly under normal conditions to assume the position disclosed in full lines in Fig. 4. This housing, 23 is provided with a circular rack 28 and with a circular unobstructed portion 29 at a point within the interior of the housing and between the rack 28 and the. bottom 24;.

A bracket 30 is secured to the shaft 21, as illustrated in Fi t and has a bifurcated portion 31 to which the pawl 32 is secured as indicated at 33.

When this device is in use, it. will assume the positions disclosed in the accompanying drawing and at this time the pawl 32 will be engaging the circular rack 28. It is obvious that as the handle or grip portion 23 is rotated in one direction it will impart rotary motion to the shaft 21 and then to the worm nut 18. The turning of this worm nut will shift. the movable aw, as above specified. It will be noted that as the shaft 21 is rotated in one direction the pawl 32 will ride over the circular rack 28, although at this time it will be impossible for the shaft to move in a counter-direction and for this reason after the movable jaw has been moved into a gripping engagement, in coiiperation with the fixed jaw, with a structure, for in stance a nut, it is obvious the engagement of the pawl to the rack will positively hold the shaft against rotation, for at this time the operators hand will be gripping a. handle of grip portion 22 and the ratchet housing 23.

Therefore, it is obvious as the pawl is at this time engaging the rack the entire device will be firmly locked as a unit and for this reason the movable jaw will be held against accidentally moving from its gripping engagement in connection with the article interposed between the movable jaw and the main jaw.

When, however, it is desired to remove the movable jaw from this clamping engagement. it is obvious the ratchet housing may be shifted outwardly, to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4:, owing to the fact that the pin will be in position to permit this movement in view of the construe, tion of the slots 25. When the ratchet housing is moved to the outermost position, it is obvious the pawl 32 will have disengaged the circular ratchet 28 and will at this time be in position to be contiguous to the circular. unobstructed portion within the ratchet housing 23. Therefore. it. is. obvious the shaft 21 may be rotated by the handles in the counter-direction and as the shaft is rotated the worm nut will also be rotated for quickly moving the movable jaw from its binding engagement with the nut or othen supporting structure.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very eflicient wrench has been provided which has been constructed so as to positively retain the movable jaw in a binding engagement with the article upon which the wrench is being used owing to the construction of, the pawl and ratchet mechanism, although when so desired the ratchet housing may be shifted to cause the pawl to disengage the ratchet and at. this time theshaft may be rotated in a counter direction for moving the movable jaw from its gripping connection by means of the worm nut, owing to the fact that the, pawl will move. freely within the. unobstructed portion within. the ratchet, housing.

As only one form of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it is obvious that many minor detail changes, may be made in the construction of this invention without departing from the spirit of the device and for this reason, it is intended to include all such forms of the invention as properly come within the scope of the structure as claimed.

iVhat is claimed is 1. A wrench comprising a main jaw and a movable jaw, a sleeve carried by said main jaw, a worm-screw nut carried by said main jaw, a shaft passing through said sleeve and being fixed to said worm nut, a handle secured to said shaft, a ratchet housing mounted upon said sleeve, said ratchet housing having an internal rack, a bracket secured to said shaft and having a pawl engaging said rack, whereby when said Shaft has i been turned in one direction said pawl will engage the rack for holding said shaft from accidentally rotating in the opposite direction, thus causing said movable jaw to be firmly held in a set position when the wrench is in use.

2. A wrench of the class, described, comprising a main jaw and a movable jaw, a sleeve carried by said main jaw, a wormscrew nut carried by said main jaw and engaging said movable jaw, a shaft passing through said sleeve and being secured to said worm nut, a handle secured to said shaft, whereby as said handle is turned said shaft will move said worm nut toward said movr se will engage said rack for holding said shaft against accidentally turnin in a counter di rection, and said housing fiein adapted to be shifted whereby the pawl wifi be contiguous to the unobstructed circular portion, thus for limiting the movement of said ratchet housing, said ratchet housing having an internal rack, a pawl pivotally mounted upon said shaft and engaging said rack when said housing has been moved, whereby when said shaft has been turned in one direction the pawl will engage the rack for holding said shaft from accidentally rotating in the opposite direction, and said housing being adapted to be movedto cause said rack to disengage the pawl, thus releasing said pawl.

4:. A wrench comprising a main jaw and a movable jaw, a sleeve carried by said main jaw, a worm screw nut carried by said main jaw, a shaft passing through said sleeve and bein fixed to said worm nut, a handle secure to said shaft, a ratchet housing re ciprocally mounted upon said sleeve, said housing having slots formed therethrough, a pin carried by said sleeve and extending into said slot for holding said housing against accidental displacement, a pawl pivotally mounted upon said shaft,- said housing being moved to permit said pawl to engage said rack, whereby when said shaft has been turned in one direction it will engage the rack for holding said shaft from accidentally rotating in the opposite direction, and 7 said housing being adapted to be moved in the opposite direction to cause said rack to disengage said pawl, thus freeing said pawl,

- while said pin will limit the movement of the housing.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for 5. A wrench of the class described comprising a main jaw and a movable jaw, a

sleeve carried by said main jaw, a worm screw nut passing through. said main jaw, a shaft passing through said sleeve and being fixed to said worm nut, a handle secured to said shaft, a ratchet housing reciprocally mounted upon the sleeve, means for limiting the movement of the housing in either direction, said ratchet housing having an internal rack, said housing also having an unobstructed circular portion formed therein adjacent said rack, a pawl pivotally mounted upon said shaft, said housing being adapted to be moved to permit said pawl to engage said rack, thus causing said shaft to be held against rotary movement in one direction for a predetermined time, said housing also being adapted to be moved to have the unobstructed circular portions thereof contiguous to said pawl, thus freeing said pawl to be moved in either direction.

6. A wrench comprising a main jaw and a movable jaw, means for shifting the 'movable jaw, a handle connected to said means for actuating the same, a housing carried by said handle, said housing being adapted to be reciprocated, means for limiting the movement of said housing in either direction, said housing having an engageable surface and a non-engageable surface, engaging means carried by said firstmentioned means for engagement with the engageable surface of said housing for holding said movable jaw in a set position, said housing being adapted to be moved for causing said non-engageable surface thereof to be contiguous to said last mentioned means, thus causing the housing to release said last mentioned means for permitting free actuation of the movable jaw.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. KETCHERSIDE. Witnesses:

MERRILL MCHENRY, LEEMAN FORSKIE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Estento,

Washington, D. G." 

